The first change is the most notable -- and probably the most controversial.

After initially saying that customers no longer were using the Start Button and thus it was gone for good, Microsoft took note of the noisy outcry surrounding this topic and changed its mind, allowing the Start Button to make a comeback in Windows 8.1.

...well, sort of. Instead of the traditional Start Button, which pops up a menu of apps (on the same screen) in Desktop Mode, the new "Start Button" yanks you out of Desktop Mode and drops you onto your "Modern UI" (aka "Metro") Home Page.

It's clear that this won't be the Start Button many Windows traditionalists were hoping for. But it does allow faster transitions to the Modern UI, for better or worse.

Microsoft has a full guide on the other new features here, and a Faq on Windows 8.1 Preview here. Microsoft warns that some systems with 32-bit Intel Corp. (INTC) Atom processors will need to update their drivers before running Windows 8.1.

To get the update itself, go to the Preview page, which will install the necessary updates, then take you to a download link in Windows Store for the main installer.

Microsoft's annual BUILD Conference for developers is kicking off today and runs through June 28.

Is it just me...or does the return of the "start" button seem kind of redundant in the way they're using it. I have only just dabbled with Windows 8, like many of you I didn't like the interface. But when I hit the start button in Win7, it's typically because it's a small unobtrusive window (depending on amount of programs) that I navigate quickly to get the the program or folder I want.

This Win 8.1 Start button seems awful to me because it throws you full screen into the same full-screen metro style interface. Which, to me, makes it seem like its hardly there at all.

Out of those of us who complained about the lack of the start button, I don't know who would consider this fixed with the solution they've gone for. Pretty ridiculous. It wasn't the mere issue of a button being there... oh MS...

The good thing is that in 8.1, you can hit Win + Q from the desktop and search for the program/setting/file you want without leaving the desktop. This is more or less the equivalent of the Win7 start menu, with the way I used the start menu.

And it's a clever solution. I actually don't mind the start screen, though. I just pretty much only use it to launch a program, which 99% of the time is via search. But I also like the new interface (the flyout menu) for search in 8.1. It would just be convenient if I could replace the behavior of the windows key with the function that I actually use it for :)

I like the way you think and that would be better. On the windows phone if you remove all the tiles the makes the menu of apps the default screen until you pin an application. For the heck of it I tried removing all the pinned apps to see if that would happen but it didn't got a blank start menu. I think the small icons they added to 8.1 will help but its nice to have the text name next to them. They should make the menu more skinnable or customizable would be a good feature.

I prefer a hierarchy system over this anarchy system. The concept of random apps being randomly placed on tiles just still doesn't work, I used to make fun of people with their screen full of icons that they could never find what they wanted. I've also only met 2 users who knew about win+q out of the several dozen who have asked me how to get their new pc to windows7. of course win+q only really works if you know what app you want, what happens when you don't remember the name of the app?

Been using Win8 for a few months now. Still hate the interface changes. I've finally settled on several add-ons to make the ui more efficient (or copying the win7 ui to some degree). I'll have to try 8.1 to see if it's been improved, so far what I've read about it doesn't seem promising.

I use the heck out of Win+E to pull up explorer, but on my 24" Monitor Win+Q is a bit of a pain as it puts the search box on the extreme right of the screen, and the results in the extreme left. It also puts the Apps on the screen in alphabetical order, so if you have a lot of programs like I do, you have to scroll sideways, so that portion of the window is useless. The sudden jump to full-screen really doesn't do it for me either, as I usually have a few windows open at the same time, like an Excel spreadsheet, a Database, or Visual Studio. Maybe this works well with a small screen, or casual use, but I'll stick to searching with ClassicShell to find my app.

Exactly! The entire GUI is cumbersome, ugly and annoying. MS, WTH is wrong with you? This is the worst selling OS you've ever released and yet you still don't get it? We DON'T like it! Full stop! Go back to Windows 7 and try again. This time, try to keep things from looking like a throwback to Win 3.1.

Seriously MS, get a damn clue! We're NOT going to pay money to DOWNGRADE our computing experience. Heck, you people gave me a copy. It's on a shelf, unused. And that is where it is going to stay, collecting dust with the Vista box...

quote: because it's a small unobtrusive window (depending on amount of programs) that I navigate quickly to get the the program or folder I want.

Small and unobtrusive is an opinion. I find it the opposite. That's especially true if you have more than a trivial number of applications installed.

I find the metro UI a little jarring, but it's laid out better and I don't miss navigating through different program folders. I can have the programs I use most frequently right there ready to run. And I can use All Apps if I need to get to the ones I use infrequently. For me it's a big time saver.

That's interesting. Now that MS has put back a button, how do the other third parties are going to yank it and put their own ? I suspect that MS bolted it in with tough security to make sure it stays there. MS INSIST that you go to modern UI for your applications.

Yeah, that whole "forcing people to pay for it" thing doesn't seem like it's worked out too well, granted that Gartner, Forrester, and all the major OEMs are blaming Win8 for the massive drop in PC sales.

People *don't* have to buy Win8. And lots of them aren't, and in fact the only reason that MS is changing anything at all is because of that fact.

Almost every single PC that sold have win8 whether people like it or not. Yes sales have been down but win8 still makes money along with their other cash cow called "office".

Historically, every bad OS sold and made profit. They just didn't sell as much. But that gives MS the opportunity to release a "newer and better" OS quickly after instead of the 5-7 year cycle. Overall, people will need to replace their PC and MS will make their money. We considered win8 an utter failure but MS will still make billions in the end.

It doesn't matter how you try to frame it now - the irrefutable fact of the matter is that MS (and all the OEMs) would have made a lot MORE over the lifespan on Win8 so far it it either didn't have the Metro UI, or if it also included the option to use the standard Start menu/desktop.

You can declare Win8 a "success" if you want. But there's no doubt they cost themselves, and the whole industry, enormous amounts of money in lost sales.